Tube socket for radio and like tubes



Oct. 19, 1948. s, DEL CAMP 2,451,538

TUBE SOCKET FOR RADIO AND LIKE TUBES Filed Aug. 16, 1944 Z 3 3mm Jcraionefl.le26amp.

Patented Oct. 19, 1948 TUBE SOCKET FOR RADIO AND LIKE TUBES Scipione M. Del Camp, Maywood, Ill., assignor to Cinch Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Illinois Application August 16, 1944, Serial No. 549,728

The present invention relates to electrical tube sockets, such as those employed for supporting pronged tubes which may be radio and like electronic tubes, and aims generally to improve existing sockets of this type.

More particularly, the invention aims to provide an improved construction of tube socket for the miniature type tube, the component parts of the socket being economical to manufacture and quickly and readily assembled.

Other aims and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and annexed specification illustrating and describing one preferred form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a preferred form of my improved socket;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the socket;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the socket as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, the soldering lugs of the contacts being flat and the bottom face of the socket body being shown in plan;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of an improved form of contact;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation thereof;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the connector pin;

Fig. 9 is a central vertical sectional view thereof as taken on the lines 9-9 of Fig. Brand Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail sectional view similar to a portion of Fig. 3, illustrating the manner of connecting the component parts of the socket together.

The socket member of the present invention consists essentially of a socket body member in which are fioatingly mounted a plurality of electrical contact members, and a retaining plate or cover with improved means to secure the body member and retaining member together. The socket body member and the retaining cover member are preferably formed of suitable molded insulating material, such as ceramic insulating material and the construction provides a highly efficient and economical socket for such prong type radio and like tubes.

The socket body may be of any approved design and preferably comprises a one-piece molded body I of suitable insulating material, such as porcelain or like ceramic materiakand advantageously is cylindrical in form, provided with an annular bead or rim 2 for engagement by an attaching saddle (not shown) by means of which 3 Claims. (Cl. 173-328) the socket may be secured to a suitable support such as a chassis part of a radio or like apparatus.

The socket body I is formed with a circular series of tube prong-receiving apertures 3, opening through its upper surface for the reception of the contact prongs of electronic tubes as will be well understood by those skilled in the art. These apertures 3 are of relatively short length and preferably do not extend materially below the plane of the lower edge of the bead 2, where they communicate with enlarged axially disposed contact-receiving bores 4 opening through the lower face of the body I. The contact-receiving bores 4 are disposed inwardly of the peripheral face of the body I, but communicate therewith I by lateral outwardly flaring recesses 5 in the marginal peripheral portion of the bottom of the body I.

Each of the contact-receiving bores 4 is adapted to loosely or floatingly receive and house the prong-receiving portion of a contact member III of suitable design and which preferably is of less axial, radial and circumferential dimensions than the bore 4 as to be freely and readily shiftable therein. The contact member may have an angular extension I I loosely housed and shiftable in the recesses 5 and an apertured end por tion I2 disposed outside of the socket body I and providing a wiring terminal for connection with one of the circuits of the apparatus in which the socket is used. The shiftability or floatability of the contacts is highly desirable .as it materially facilitates insertion of the tube prongs in the socket because it eliminates undue pressure that would be exerted upon the tube prongs when said prongs are slightly out of alignment as is frequently the case.

The contact members Ill are retained in the socket body I by means of a retainer plate 6, preferably of a diameter corresponding to the body so as to underlie the bores 4 and lateral recesses 5. This cover plate may be formed of any suitable dielectric material, such as molded ceramic material, and is retained in assembled relation with the socket body I by suitable means, for example an eyelet l5 of novel construction. The cover plate 6 also is provided with bosses Ii (Fig. 3) at properly spaced intervals so that they may project into the lower end of the bores 4 and support the bottom ends of the contact members. By holding the contacts farther up into the bores 4 there is a barrier increase near where the body I and cover plate are joined. This construction reduces the possibility of arcing between the conagainst a flat surface of the retainer 6 at the face of contact with the body of the socket.

The eyelet I! may advantageously be formed from a single piece of thin sheet metal and composed of two semi-cylindrical sections l6, each having an integral semi-circular head I! thereon. The semi-cylindrical sections may be folded together about an apertured central section It to provide an elongated tubular eyelet composed of the semi-cylindrical sections I 6 connected at one end by a continuous annular band l9. In folding the sections l6 together about an apertured section II side openings 20 are formed in the eyelet at the inner ends of the meeting edges of the sections l6, which openings may be utilized for attaching a wire or conductor when a grounded circuit with the socket is desired. In folding the sections l6 together the semi-circular heads I! are brought intoregistry to provide an annular bead for the tubular eyelet.

The socket body I and retainer member 6 are secured together with the contacts assembled therebetween, by means of the eyelet l5 passed upwardly through apertures 6 of the retainer 6 and apertures l of the socket body, the upper end of the eyelet being upset as at 2! over the upper face of the body to secure the parts between the upset portion 2| and the annular bead l1. As the ceramic body and retainer are apt to fracture or crack when subjected to pressure sufficient to upset the end of the eyelet, a cushioning washer 22 of suitable material, such as rubber, cork and the like is preferably interposed between the bead i1 and retainer 6. In order to insure a satisfactory holding surface between the small head I! and the cushioning washer 22, a thin metal washer 23 is interposed between the washer 22 and the bead IT. This metal washer has a bearing surface on the cushioning washer 22 and is preferably a spring washer so that it may take up some of the shock.

The socket member above described is essentially of two-part construction comprising the body I and the retainer 6, which parts may be readily molded to precise dimensions.

In assembling the socket the contact members ID are first assembled in the bores 4 with the extensions H disposed in the recesses 5 of the socket body i. The retaining plate is then applied to the body to retain the contact members i therein and the assembled parts are connected together by passing the tubular eyelet l upwardly through the apertures 6 of the retainer and I of the socket and then upsetting the upper end of the eyelet over the upper surface of the socket body.

While I have illustrated and described the invention with reference to a socket body and retainer formed of ceramic material, it will be understood that the advantage of the floating or shiftable mounting of the contacts is equally applicable to sockets made from other plastic materials which are not so subject to breakage.

Furthermore, it 'will be understood that the sev-,

material formed with a central opening and a surrounding series of prong-receiving apertures with 76 underlying communicating axial bores and lateral recesses opening to the peripheral face of said body, a prong-engaging contact for each prongreceiving aperture and shiftable relative thereto, a centrally apertured retainer member of insulating material underlying the bores and recesses of said body, and an elongated tubular eyelet formed with an annular bead adjacent an outer face of one of the assembled parts of insulating material and having a terminal end upsettable over the outer face of the other part, a cushioning means interposed between said eyelet and one of said parts, said cushioning means including a washer of compressible material and a metal spring washer.

2. An electrical socket for connection with prong type tubes and the like comprising a socket body formed with a plurality of prong-receiving apertures opening through the upper face and contact-receiving bores below and communicating with said prong-receiving openings, a prongengaging contact loosely and shiftably mounted in each of said bores, and a retainer member engaging the lower face of said socket body and underlying said bores for retaining said contacts therein, said retainer member having bosses extending into the contact-receiving openings to hold the contact members in positions to increase the barrier between adjacent contact members thereby increasing the voltage breakdown of the socket. I

3. An electrical socket for connection with prong type tubes and the like comprising a nonconducting socket body formed with a plurality of prong-receiving apertures opening through the upper face and enlarged contact receiving bores below and communicating with said prong-receiving apertures, a prong-engaging contact mounted in each of said bores, a non-conducting retainer member underlying said bores at the lower face of said body, said retainer member having projections entering into said contactreceiving bores adapted to hold the contact members in positions an appreciable distance within said bores so as to increase the barrier between adjacent contact members thereby increasing the voltage breakdown of the socket, and a fastening member extending through said socket body and said retainer member and formed with an annular bead adjacent an outer face of one of the assembled parts and having a terminal end upsettable over the outer face of the other part, and a washer of cushioning material interposed between said fastener member and one of said parts.

- SCIPIONE M. DEL CAMP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,376,307 Amos Apr. 26, 1921 1,839,634 Alden Jan. 5, 1932 1,982,077 Spencer Nov. 27, 1934 2,205,878 Eby June 25, 1940 2,290,306 White July 21, 1942 2,319,564 Smith May 18, 1943 2,329,793 Smith Sept. 21, 1943 2,346,166 Hurleman Apr. 11, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4475/31 Australia 1932 

